Knowing the Difference
by Para-Cord
Summary: One-Shot. Poem. Lazarus Project. What else do you need to know?-Update: The story hasn't been changed, but just a couple things. Sorry! :


_**This is my first time writing a fanfiction ever! I'm not the best creative writer in the world so I'm a try something a little different. The Lazarus Project through a poem. **_

_**You'd be surprised how hard it is making a mission rhyme the whole way through…So yeah…A One-Shot of Shepard returning from death.**_

_**Also, this is like the 3rd time I've reposted this story! Sorry for all those who choose to read it that many times! I don't know how to kinda change the chapter without deleting it and fixing it. Sorry! :)**_

_**I do not own Mass Effect or the amazingly wonderful characters within it. I just simply enjoy playing the game!**_

* * *

><p><em>My head hurts, my back aches, what the hell is wrong with me? <em>

_Oh my God! Where am I? What happened to the Normandy?_

"Shepard, you awake? I'm here to help!"

"I don't give a damn! I'm still trying to learn more about myself!"

"My name's Miranda, this base is under attack!"

"What base is this?"

"The one that brought you back!"

_HOLY SHIT! That's right I floated through space!_

_I ran out of air…boy I hope **she's** safe._

"You got to get to the shuttles! This place is about to blow!"

_As long as she's in my thoughts, I guess I better go._

* * *

><p>I put on my armor, and grabbed a gun,<p>

loaded a thermal clip, it was time to run.

I vaulted over into the open ground,

and began to shoot at the mechs I found.

One blew up, another dispersed.

The third I watched the head start to burst.

_I just finished my clip! What do I do?_

Before I knew it… "Why the hell am I glowing blue?"

"Hey you, Miranda, I need answers now!"

"We'll tell more about you when you're safe and sound!"

I felt the energy building up.

Mechs four and five began to erupt.

I continued my journey down alleys and halls,

until I stopped myself before glass walls.

A worker on the other side, shot to death,

by a YMIR,__ I hate that damn mech!__

_Just keep going John, forget about it,_

_but what the hell makes me so much different!_

_How come she dies, yet I get to come back again?_

_With the same amount of credits to build an army of men._

_How come I deserve it? We're all the same!_

_I hope I see **her** again, she's what kept me sane._

_Her fidgeting hands, her nervous laugh,_

_but right now I got to deal with all this crap!_

* * *

><p>I continued my journey to the landing pad,<p>

and what I saw next made me really mad!

A Cerberus insignia on the wall.

_I should let this whole base burn and fall!_

_All the people they hurt, all my friends they killed!_

"Hey Shepard! Over here!"

_Oh great. Another reason to be thrilled._

* * *

><p>I asked him, "Do you know what the hell is going on here?"<p>

_Why am I asking him? Who do I trust? Who do I fear?_

"Someone reprogrammed the mechs to take down the whole base!"

_Why should I care! You think you're the best of the whole human race!_

"Thanks a lot, but who are you?"

"Lieutenant, Jacob Taylor. Here to help you get through.

Here, kill the mechs on the other side!"

"There I killed them…Damn VI's.

I need your help to get out of here today!"

So, Jacob took the lead and led the way.

_I started to trust him as we killed more mechs,_

_and ran through the corridors, and witnessed more deaths._

_Damn Cerberus. I would never join them! How could they dare?_

"Hello? Somebody? Is anyone there?"

"Wilson, it's Jacob. Give me your coordinates stat,

and stay on this frequency!"

"Who the hell was that?"

"His name is Wilson. He and Miranda helped bring you back."

"Miranda. She's the one that warned me of the attack!"

"That would be her. She's somewhere in this base,

but first we got to find Wilson. Come on, keep up the pace!"

* * *

><p><em>We walked up the stairs to where Wilson would be.<em>

_Found some more mechs. Made them history._

_He was in the next room. He had been shot and fell._

_I ran to the wall and grabbed him some medi-gel._

"There, you should be fine. Now tell me what you know!"

"Miranda betrayed us!"

"What? No!"

"She helped me wake up, and get me on my feet!"

"Yeah, I know! That doesn't mean she didn't have to cheat!"

"Ok, we'll find her and get this story straight,

but right now, Wilson, overload! And I don't want a debate!"

"Wait Shepard! I want you to know something, and don't give me a red light.

I work for Cerberus."

_Yeah, that's about right._

"After what I've seen, it doesn't surprise me."

"But I hope after working together I've proved trustworthy."

"It depends on what you want me to do after bringing me back from the dead."

"We need you to stop the attack on human colonies, and speak to Cerberus' head."

"I'll never work for you! All the sick tricks you'll play!"

"Just talk to the Illusive man one time! See what he has to say!"

"Fine. One time, but let's keep moving!" _I got to keep all this crap in mind._

_We pushed on to the door which our destination was behind._

* * *

><p><em>The door slid open and a shot rang out.<em>

_Wilson dead on the floor. _"What the hell was that about?"

"Wilson betrayed us. He did this to stop you!"

"He helped to bring me back! What the hell did I do?"

"We don't know why he did what he did, but now he's dead.

Let's end this conversation, and get you to the space station instead."

* * *

><p><em>I sat in silence as they watched over me.<em>

"We need to ask you some questions to see if you remember anything.

Before you meet with the Illusive man, we have to see that your personality is intact.

Jacob, you ask the questions, and Shepard will give us the facts."

"More tests, Miranda? Even after two years Shepard's different from all other men."

"Woah, hold on. Could you repeat that again?"

"Yes, Shepard. You were gone two years and twelve days.

But it's worth it because most people don't come back anyways."

"Continue with the questions Jacob, we don't have much more time.

Start with personal history."

"Okay. Fine."

"Records show you were earthborn no guardians or parents."

_Yet I was still able to take down Saren._

"You joined the Alliance and got caught on Akuze."

"Thanks to damn Cerberus, give me some better news."

"Alright, on Virmire you left a crew member to die."

"Kaidan Alenko. He was a great guy.

He died a hero on that gloomy day.

He was my friend, but he would've wanted it that way."

"I'd say were done here. His memory seems like it's there."

_Thank God, Cerberus finally got out of my hair._

* * *

><p>Soon after that we arrived at their space station.<p>

"The Illusive man is ready. You can go on in."

"Illusive man. I'd thought we'd be meeting face to face?"

"A necessary precaution for the whole human race."

"Just because you brought me back doesn't mean I trust you."

_And I never will. You better get that too._

"Put your personal feelings aside. We're facing a great threat."

"Who's doing it?"

"We haven't come to find out yet.

Whole human colonies disappearing all galaxy wide."

"I'm going to need a lot of convincing to get me on your side."

"You're a symbol of humanity, and we know what you can do."

"If it's to help my race, I'm doing it for them. Not for you."

"Suit yourself, but remember I am your chief.

Go to Jacob and Miranda. They'll give you a debrief."

_Well that was strange. He can go to hell._

_But for now I should go to sleep and rest well._

* * *

><p>I went down the hall and turned to the right.<p>

I opened my pod and thought for the night:

_I can beat this threat, and the reapers too._

_With Tali in my thoughts to help me get through._

_It's when you know you can do it, and you have no doubt,_

_that you've figured out,_

_The difference between you and everyone else._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please review so I can know how I did! I don't care if what you have to say is that you hate it, I just want to see what people think! Oh and I am finally working on a second part for Freedom's Progress!<strong>_

_**Also, I can't figure out how to remove the space between the lines. I want the rhyming lines to be grouped together! Could someone please help me?**_

_**p.s. I didn't really update much but adding some of those blueish lines and taking off some of the italics...but you could probably already figure that out...**_


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